Augustus Leonard Perrill

Augustus Leonard Perrill (January 20, 1807 – June 2, 1882) was an American educator, law enforcement officer, farmer, and Democratic politician who served one term as a U.S. Representative from Ohio from 1845 to 1847. His public career spanned local law enforcement, multiple terms in the Ohio General Assembly, and service in the United States Congress during a formative period in nineteenth-century American politics.

Perrill was born on January 20, 1807, near Moorefield, Virginia, in a region that is now part of West Virginia. In 1816 he moved with his parents to the state of Ohio, where the family settled in Madison Township near Lithopolis. Growing up on the frontier of a rapidly developing state, he attended local schools and received the basic education typical of rural communities of the period. These early experiences in a largely agrarian setting would shape both his later work as a teacher and his long-term engagement in agricultural pursuits.

As a young man, Perrill began his professional life in education. After completing his own schooling, he taught in schools near Circleville, Ohio, contributing to the instruction of children in the surrounding rural area. Alongside teaching, he engaged in agricultural pursuits, establishing himself as a farmer in the region. His familiarity with local communities and his reputation for reliability and public service helped prepare him for a transition into law enforcement and politics.

Perrill entered public service in law enforcement when he was appointed deputy sheriff in January 1833. The following year, in 1834, he was elected sheriff, a position of considerable responsibility in county government at the time. He served as sheriff until 1837, overseeing local law enforcement and the execution of court orders. His performance in this role enhanced his standing in the community and led to his election to the Ohio House of Representatives, where he served from 1839 to 1841. In the state legislature he began to build a record as a Democratic lawmaker representing the interests of his constituents in central Ohio.

In national politics, Perrill was elected as a Democrat to the Twenty-ninth Congress, serving as a U.S. Representative from Ohio from March 4, 1845, to March 3, 1847. His single term in the House of Representatives coincided with a significant period in American history, including debates over territorial expansion and the Mexican–American War. As a member of the Democratic Party representing Ohio, he contributed to the legislative process and participated in the democratic governance of the nation, representing the interests of his district’s constituents. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1846 to the Thirtieth Congress, and his service in Congress concluded at the end of his term in 1847.

After leaving Congress, Perrill returned to private life and resumed his agricultural pursuits near Circleville. Remaining active in state politics, he was elected to the Ohio Senate, where he served from 1858 to 1863, a period that included the secession crisis and the early years of the Civil War. Following his Senate service, he again served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 1865 to 1867, participating in state governance during the initial phase of Reconstruction. Across these legislative roles, he maintained his affiliation with the Democratic Party and continued to represent the interests of his region in the Ohio General Assembly.

Perrill spent his later years on his farm near Circleville, continuing the agricultural work that had long been central to his livelihood. He died there on June 2, 1882. Augustus Leonard Perrill was interred in Forest Cemetery in Circleville, Ohio, closing a life marked by sustained service as an educator, law enforcement officer, state legislator, and member of the United States House of Representatives.